This is a quick guide to some of your recent questions about concerns due to the recent national lockdown.
To access more detailed information, please use the buttons below:
FAQs
Do my children have go to school?
Going to school or college
As part of the government’s roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdown, in England, from 8th March face to face education will resume in schools and colleges.
Childcare and children’s supervised activities can also resume where necessary to enable parents to work or engage in similar activities. The government are introducing twice-weekly rapid testing for secondary and college pupils – in addition to regular testing for all teachers – to reduce the chance of the virus spreading in schools.
Higher Education students at English universities on practical courses can also return from 8 March.
For full details of the coronavirus guidance and schools in England, please click here.
In Wales there has been a phased return to schools and colleges since 22nd February 2021. For full details of the coronavirus guidance and schools in Wales, please click here.
Here are some useful tools and tips to help you support your children with their education.
I’m have been finding my child’s behaviour difficult to deal with. Where can I get help?
Many kinship carers have found that children’s behaviour has been more difficult to manage during the lockdown. This is likely to continue as the children return to school and adapt to their new routine. If you are having difficulties, please talk to someone. You can contact the child’s school for advice, as they may be able to offer some time ‘in school’ for more vulnerable children. We have some useful links and guidelines surrounding therapeutic parenting, coping with trauma, anxiety and much more click here.
Looking after Yourselves and Getting Support
Support Bubbles and Childcare Bubbles
From 8th March the rules regarding contact will change slightly.
People will be allowed to leave home for recreation and exercise outdoors with their household or support bubble, if they are eligible for one, or with one person from outside their household. Care home residents will also be allowed one regular visitor.
You have to meet certain eligibility rules to form a support or childcare bubble. This means not everyone will be able to form a bubble.
There is separate guidance for support bubbles and childcare bubbles.
Contact
The government guidance regarding contact with birth parents has not changed since the beginning of lockdown and will continue during this first phase of the “roadmap”. People can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where they live apart. This means that contact arrangements can continue if the carer thinks it is safe to do so.
Please click here for more detailed information.
Travelling from 8th March 2021
The ‘stay at home’ rule will end on 29 March but many restrictions will remain in place. People should continue to work from home where they can and minimise the number of journeys they make where possible, avoiding travel at the busiest times and routes. Travel abroad will continue to be prohibited, other than for a small number of permitted reasons. Holidays abroad will not be allowed.
I’m finding my child’s behaviour difficult to deal with. Where can I get help?
If you’re finding that children’s behaviour is more difficult to manage during the lockdown, please talk to someone. You can contact the child’s school for advice, as they may be able to offer some time ‘in school’ for more vulnerable children. We have some useful links and guidelines surrounding therapeutic parenting, coping with trauma, anxiety and much more click here.
Keeping Active!
Joe Wicks is coming back to BBC. Get up and join in!
Fun Activities for all ages
Book Trust HomeTime: Looking for something fun as a family? Enjoy storytime with free online books and videos, play games, win prizes, test your knowledge in book-themed quizzes, or even learn how to draw some of your favourite characters. For our Welsh carers’, click here.
Woodland Trust: Get involved with Nature! Even though there are restrictions on leaving home, we can all go out for an hour’s exercise, local to where we live. Check out the ideas for exploring nature from the Woodland Trust. You don’t even have to go outside for some of these as there are lots of nature-related indoor activities too.
40 Fun Things to Do: More resources from Wales – but we can all share them!
